The Austria captain, Marc Janko, has been named as Sydney FC’s marquee player for the 2014-15 season.

“We are very pleased to welcome Marc Janko to Sydney FC as our international marquee for the 2014-15 season,” said Sydney FC’s chairman, Scott Barlow. “Marc is a striker of international pedigree having played for some of Europe’s biggest and most well-known clubs where his goal scoring record speaks for itself. He has won league championships in Portugal and Austria, as well as the Dutch Cup and Dutch Super Cup”

The striker may not live up to the reputation of Sydney’s last marquee player, Alessandro Del Piero, and has a lower profile than Melbourne City’s eye-catching off-season signings, which include Spain international David Villa and Premier League veteran Damien Duff.

At 196cm Janko does, however, pose an aerial threat to opposition defences and scored 42 goals in 38 games for Red Bull Salzburg during the 2008-09 season, and scored the winner in the 2011 Dutch Cup final for FC Twente. Since then the 31-year-old’s goalscoring record has been more modest and he managed just three goals in 13 appearances for Trabzonspor last season.

In response to a question about replacing a World Cup and Champions League winner, Janko displayed a touch of wry humour. “I have big shoes, I’m quite tall,” he said.

Janko added he was confident Sydney would be successful during his time with the club. “I am thrilled to be joining Sydney FC and can’t wait to get started,” said Janko, who has signed a one-year deal. “I have come here to win trophies and play in the Asian Champions League and I am confident that I will achieve this with Sydney FC. I have spoken with Scott Barlow and Graham Arnold and I am excited about the future direction of this club. I believe I can contribute a big part to this success.”

Sydney’s head coach, Graham Arnold, said Janko was a good fit for his team’s philosophy. “Marc has an exceptional goal-scoring record and is a fantastic addition to our attacking options, he will complement our current strikers well,” said Arnold. “We have put in a lot of time and effort to ensure he has the right qualities and right character to fit into our squad, and I’m very happy we have been able to sign him.

“At 6ft 5in he will cause a lot of problems for opposition defenders and he will give us a different threat up front.”